V. I.

Lenin

264

To:   THE BUREAU OF THE C.C., R.S.D.L.P., IN RUSSIA

19/XII.

Dear Friends, The news of the inclusion by the liquidators of the point about
“cultural-national autonomy” filled us with indignation! There are limits
to everything! The people who have broken up the Party now want completely
to destroy the Programme as well. Even where the arch-conciliator Plekhanov
draws the line, they do not. This is impossible. It cannot be tolerated,
and.... [1]

Resistance and protest must be organised at all costs. We must present an
ultimatum: let us speak up, [let] them read out this bilge, this
cultural-national autonomy, etc.! Exert every effort to do this, if only
through the five (better five with the Party policy than six wavering
between the Party and its liquidators).

The base resolution about No. 16, the vile insertion of the
cultural-national autonomy point, and the pretensions to “poke” into the
newspaper question clearly show that there can be no illusions about
“peace” with such people. [2] They started the war by these moves. It is
necessary to give considered thought to this war and to wage it
energetically. For this, besides the above, two steps are essential:
(1) to submit written protests signed by the five threatening to appeal to
the Party organisations—on all the above-mentioned and similar questions;
(2) arrange a meeting here of the five or the six (this is imperative!) and
finally decide on a line of action.

Approximate text...: “We, the undersigned, hereby declare that the
decision of the Duma group regarding Jagiello, the resolution about him,
the decision to insert the cultural-national [autonomy ] point, run counter
to all the resolutions of Party congresses to such an extent that
we disclaim responsibility for these decisions, declare them to be anti-Party, reserve the right to appeal to the Party organisations,
and warn that by taking decisions such as these the Duma group is departing
completely from the Party road.”

It is clear that the seven will pursue the liquidationist path
further .

We must make haste with the organisation; write in detail about
Dyen . How are the finances? What about the editorial end? We wrote
specially asking No. 1 or No. 3 (Or both, which would be best) to bring us
the books listed.

We earnestly beg you to do this. We shall cover the expenses ... pass
on Falinsky’s book, and we are being scolded.

2. Did No. 3 receive the money from Vienna? It is for Vetrov.

3. Is it possible somehow to find out whether Vetrov received our
letters? We have written him many times at the editorial office, but have
had no reply. Is it really impossible to obtain addresses for letters?

P.S. I am asked to add this: you have the right to take books from the
library.... For two weeks.

---
Notes:
[1]
Manuscript partly damaged. Here and further several words
illegible. Words in square brackets have been inserted as context
suggests.— Ed .

[2]
A reference to a declaration by the Social-Democratic group in the
Fourth Duma based on Lenin’s theses “Concerning Certain Speeches by
Workers’ Deputies” (see present edition, Vol. 18, pp. 413–19).

In accordance with Lenin’s advice, the declaration included practically
all the main points of the minimum programme. However, the Mensheviks
succeeded in inserting the demand for cultural-national autonomy. On
December 7 (20), 1912, the declaration of the Social-Democratic group was
read out in the Duma.

In December 1912 talks were conducted, on the insistence of the
liquidators in the Social-Democratic Duma group, on the merging of
Pravda and Luck into a “non-factional workers’ newspaper”. As a result of the talks, the Bolshevik deputies of the Duma
A. Y. Badayev, G. I. Petrovsky, F. N. Samoilov and N. R. Shagov announced
in Luch No. 78 on December 18, 1912, that they were joining the
staff of Luck and the seven liquidator deputies declared they were
joining the Pravda staff. But on January 30, 1913, the Bolshevik
deputies left Luck owing to disagreement with the liquidationist
line of the paper (see present edition, Vol. 35, p. 84, and Note 98).